Assessment and Intervention In any helping profession, assessment and intervention are key factors in assisting a client with whatever problem they may be facing. Knowledge about how to properly assess a client’s strengths or limitations can be vital in providing proper intervention and delivering these services can be vital to a client, especially in the geriatric population (Richardson & Barusch, 2006).
Assessment
According to Badger (2014), “Assessment is essential to social work practice no matter the social worker’s role.” The assessment process is vital to assisting a client with their needs because it not only forms a first impression but a look at a client’s strengths and limitations. These attributes can help a social worker decide on a course for intervention, if necessary. Having knowledge and skills in deciphering a client’s needs and wants can be beneficial in any social work. Having knowledge and skills in collecting, organizing and interpreting data during assessment is vital in a social worker’s career. In collecting data, a social worker must understand age-specific assessment to better assist the geriatric population (Richardson & Barusch, 2006). Furthermore, a social worker must understand the different implications that ethnicity can have on an aging population. For example, several cultures do not encourage openness about problems in daily life. In cases such as this, a social worker must develop a different approach to assisting clients from this
The assessment process is the back bone to any package of care and it is vital that it is personal and appropriate to the individual concerned. Although studies have found that there is no singular theory or understanding as to what the purpose of assessment is, there are different approaches and forms of assessment carried out in health and social care. These different approaches can sometimes result in different outcomes.
The questioning and procedural models of social work assessment are also ‘process-focused’ and have similarities in making assumptions that expertise in determining the nature and resolution of the issues is not held by the individual but mainly by professionals or other people who are either directly or indirectly affected by the issues. The difference between the two assessments models is that the questioning model is referred as the process reflecting on the social workers agenda while the procedural model seen as policy
In an article written by Karen Badger, she states, “assessment is essential to social work practice no matter the social worker’s role, the nature of the interaction or practice setting, client population, or phase of the helping process. It is used to gather evidence to understand presenting problems, to evaluate progress and outcomes, and to assess the effectiveness of interventions and programs” (2014). Throughout the study, DSS does assess situations, and address the complaints by both clients and employees. For example, Matava, declared that “all agencies would receive the same set rate to manage a standard case load of 15 to 20 cases—about $63,000, including legal and administrative overhead” (Kennedy School of Government Case Program, pg.5) and she “recruited
A typical day for a social worker consists of helping those that are in need, providing appropriate resources, and empowering their clients. Before a social worker can help their clients, they will need to do an assessment. An assessment consists of learning about the individual and their everyday lives. According to Timberlake, Zajicek-Farber, and Sabatino (2008), “The client system and the social worker conduct an assessment of problems, needs, strengths, and resources; establish priorities and goals; and reach agreement about the preintervention date-collection activities necessary to provide a baseline for evaluating change” (p. 79). It is important for the social worker to collect all this information because it will provide insight on
Assessment is a basic skill of generalist social workers. As my current place of employment does not employ any defined assessment, I will utilize
In social work practice, client assessments are important because they allow social workers to gather information from clients. This information helps the acting social worker better understand clients presenting problems. The assessment also helps social workers evaluate a client’s progress and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions used. In this paper, a multidimensional assessment will be performed on a client I have been working with at my internship placement, Urban Ministries of Durham. Once all relevant information is presented, and intervention and treatment plan will be discussed.
The social worker explores the issues that currently affect the client system. This identifies key issues, family history, cultural identities and values (Brew & Kottler 2008, p. 75). In collaboration, the social worker and the client system to prepare a plan of action. This includes outlining strengths, resources, goals, objectives, and targets for change (Miley, O’Melia & Dubois 2013, p. 119). Tools can be used to gather more information such as genograms and eco-maps. The genogram is utilised to identify the client system’s family and explore the
In order to address the client’s problems and strengths Birkenmaier suggest using a “two compartment model”. “In this approach, the assessment includes a two component model in which the social worker first explores a series of questions with the client to define the problem situation (Component 1). The questions will not only help to identify the client’s strengths, but also their life experiences (both positive and challenging), and strategies for coping with adversity. Gathering this comprehensive perspective on the client’s identity can aid both the social worker and the client in formulating a perception of the client in terms of strengths, versus deficits. (Birkenmaier, 2014, pg.110)”
The objective of this study is to examine the evolution of programs and services for aging population over the last fifty years. Toward this end, this brief study will conduct a review of literature that addresses these shifts and changes in policy. The timeline of the history of the services and pogroms for the aging population in the United States is shown in the following timeline and an explanation for these develops will next follow the timeline.
One of the most important skill to have as a social worker is to identify your client’s strengths. All social workers should have knowledge of an effective leader that are identified by their strengths or limitations in order to improve the one’s they identify. There are several evidence-based assessments that help identify the strengths and limitations of any individual. Thus, it is also necessary to obtain other perspective based on your leadership strengths or limitations in order to improve or strengthen those qualities. The self-assessments used through this paper will help me develop a plan that points out my challenges, help expand and improve on my strengths (Human Services Guide, 2015).
Culture has an effect on behavior based on the beliefs, values, and norms accepted in that culture. To understand a client’s behavior, it’s important to understand their culture and the influences it has on the client. By understanding culture and analyzing it through one or more sociocultural lenses, social workers can understand how society perceives clients and how clients view themselves (Rogers, 2016). According to NASW standard 1.01a (1999), social workers need to understand how culture influences human behavior and society. To efficiently work with clients and understand their behavior, a social worker needs to view a client through an applicable sociocultural lens.
Reminiscing to 2010, when I was faced with my grandmother 's illness during the adolescent years in my life I knew that I had a passion to care for the elderly (aging) population. From this passion, it ignited a fire so strong that I pursue my certified nursing assistant certification to gain a better understanding of working with the elderly population. By doing so, it has been a great benefit to my life; aging is an inevitable experience that we all will go through during our life. It is important to ensure that our elderly individuals are still able to enjoy the best quality of life after retirement. However, as we age, there will be a lifestyle change that the aging population must encounter.
Assessing and planning care of the elderly is important in enabling the older adult to have the best quality of life in their later years. Understanding their views on living day to day with what they hold dear, will help in planning care for the older person. In this paper, I will interview an older adult and describe various details as well as cultural relations surrounding my interviewed individual. I will perform functional assessments using the Tinetti, Katz, Home Safety, and Barthel tools, which will be included in the Appendix. I will compare any age-related changes and identify more than six preliminary issues that need to be addressed. Lastly, I will propose more than three alterations and
Becoming acquainted with a potential client’s history, personality and present concerns is necessary in forming a foundation for counseling interventions. This information gathering phase is referred to as assessment (Mears, 2010). While some mental health professionals will use an interview as their primary assessment tool, others will utilize testing
In a pilot study conducted by Prosser and colleagues, researchers seek to evaluate if companion animals improve mood and quality of life in the growing aging population. The study followed participants for six weeks during after group interactions with therapy or companion animals. The study utilized a convenience sample of 16 females and 2 males at a nursing home. Though the sample is small and lacking in diversity, it is appropriate for a pilot study. This study utilizes the geriatric depression scale (GDS) and a series of questionnaires. The study is qualitative in nature, focusing on first person accounts as an encouragement for future research. This study is unique in that it not only interviews participants, but also nursing home